Tanker crashes into platform in the North Sea

On the first night of the New Year, the German tanker Elsa Essberger crashed into an unmanned offshore platform located 20 sea miles of the Dutch city Den Helder. The tanker was severely damaged, but fortunately no crewmembers were injured and there has not been reported any emission of oil to the water from neither the tanker nor the platform.

Elsa Essberger, which is a oil tanker vessel registered in Portugal, was at full capacity from Antwerpen to Malmø when the coalition with platform Unocal Q1 occurred. Unocal Q1 was shut down in March of last year due to low price of oil.

To of the platforms four steel legs were damaged as a result of the crash, while the tanker was damaged in the stem and the front of the ship, where the hull and deck was ripped in several places. There has not been reported any damage on the ships tanks.

As the coalition occurred, the tanker shortly stuck under the platform, but was able to detach its self. Following instructions from Dutch authorities, Elsa Essberger anchored close to the platform, until a ship chartered by the Dutch coastguard reached the scene.

On Tuesday morning Elsa Essberger is on its way to Rotterdam, where further inspection of the reason to the crash will take place.